1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a dart subassembly and more particularly to a dart subassembly having an adjustable spin flight.
2. Discussion of the Relevant Art
Darts having fixed flights and spinning flights are well known. Darts having fixed flights are, for example, illustrated in U.K. Patent No. 498,823. Darts having spinning flights are, for example, illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,842,285 and 4,958,838.
Darts having spinning flights (i.e., nonfixed flights) have several advantages over their fixed flight counterparts. The most significant of those advantages being that the spinning flight minimizes deflections and allows for a tight grouping of darts. Fixed flight darts already embedded in a dart board, can, when a second dart is thrown and strikes the fixed flight, deflect the second dart in a direction not intended or even out of the play area. Failure to hit the play area results in lower scores. This problem is especially acute when one or more darts are thrown at the same spot on the dartboard, for example, the bull's-eye.
The resulting loss of points or inaccuracy caused by the fixed flight darts was at least one reason for the development of spinning flights. Further, fixed flight darts are prone to breakage because of their construction.
Spinning flights last longer because the flights spin out of the way of incoming darts and reduce the impact on the struck dart which in turn diminishes wear. Spinning flight darts also are more stable in flight.
Existing spinning flights, however, are not without their own problems. For example, the degree of flight spin, i.e., how freely the flight spins during flight, is not controllable -- dart players complain that some flights spin either too much or too little. Inconsistent flight spin results in aerodynamic inconsistency while the dart is in flight. The inconsistency is most often caused by variations and inconsistencies in the manufacturing process which result in varying degrees of friction between the flight and pin. Further, current spinning flight darts are susceptible to wear and breakage when assembled/disassembled.